Blueberry plant named &#39;C97-41&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of blueberry ( Vaccinium hybrid ) plant named ‘C97-41’, characterized by its bushy plant shape and strong plant growth vigor, evergreen foliage with early to medium timing of vegetative bud burst, early timing of flowering and early to medium timing of fruiting, large berry size with oblate shape, medium to firm fruit suited to handling, attractive dark blue fruit color and small picking scar, medium berry sweetness with weak to medium acidity. This combination results in higher quality fruit with a later availability than other varieties.

LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Vaccinium hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘C97-41’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety of Vaccinium hybrid (Southern Highbush Blueberry), which has been given the variety denomination of ‘C97-41’. Its market class is that of a fruiting plant. ‘C97-41’ is intended for use as fresh fruit for shipping, customer pick and processing markets and as a home garden plant.

The new blueberry cultivar is a selection resulting from seedlings produced in a controlled breeding programme of Vaccinium at Gainesville, Fla., USA in 1995 from a cross of seed parent “F95-52” (unpatented) and pollen parent “E12” (unpatented). The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single plant within a population of blueberry plants in 1999, in a commercial field plantation environment at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia. Selection criteria was a combination of very strong plant growth vigor, early to mid season of ripening, good fruit flavor, large fruit size, medium to firm fruit suited to handling, attractive dark blue fruit color and small picking scar. The selection was subsequently evaluated for a number of years at the commercial farms of BerryExchange at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cutting propagation since 1997 at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia and has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

The new variety has been primarily compared to the variety ‘Sweetcrisp’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,027). In Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia the plant growth vigor of ‘C97-41’ is ‘strong’ whereas the plant growth vigor of ‘Sweetcrisp’ is ‘medium to strong’. The time of vegetative bud burst of ‘C97-41’ is ‘early to medium’ whereas the time of vegetative bud burst of ‘Sweetcrisp’ is ‘early’. The fully developed leaf length of ‘C97-41’ is ‘long’ (66-70 mm) whereas the fully developed leaf length of ‘Sweetcrisp’ is ‘medium’ (mean 54 mm). The fully developed leaf width of ‘C97-41’ is ‘broad’ (32-36 mm) whereas the fully developed leaf width of ‘Sweetcrisp’ is ‘medium’ (mean 29 mm). The time of fruit ripening of ‘C97-41’ is ‘early to medium’ whereas the time of fruit ripening of ‘Sweetcrisp’ is ‘medium to late’. The sweetness of a berry of ‘C97-41’ is classified as ‘medium’ whereas the sweetness of a berry of ‘Sweetcrisp’ is classified as ‘strong to very strong’. The acidity of a berry of ‘C97-41’ is classified as ‘weak to medium’ whereas the acidity of a berry of ‘Sweetcrisp’ is classified as ‘very weak’. This combination of fruiting attributes results in ‘C97-41’ being a more suitable variety for commercial and home garden use than ‘Sweetcrisp’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘C97-41’ as a new and distinct cultivar of blueberry plant:

-   1. Bushy plant growth habit -   2. Strong plant growth vigor -   3. Early to medium timing of vegetative bud burst -   4. Early timing of beginning of flowering -   5. Early to medium timing of fruit ripening -   6. Dark blue berry color -   7. Berry firmness is medium to firm -   8. Picking scar is dry -   9. Berry Diameter is large -   10. Berry shape is longitudinal cross-section is oblate -   11. Berry sweetness is medium -   12. Berry acidity is weak to medium     Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parents     primarily in early timing of beginning of flowering, early to medium     timing of berry ripening, and strong plant growth vigor, whereas the     seed parent is mid-season in timing of flowering and berry ripening,     and medium plant growth vigor and the pollen parent is early season     in timing of flowering and berry ripening and strong plant growth     vigor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘C97-41’.

FIG. 1 illustrates a ‘C97-41’ plant in a commercial field planting.

FIG. 2 illustrates ‘C97-41’ leaf and berry shapes and dimensions.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinct variety of a Vaccinium hybrid ornamental plant known as ‘C97-41’. Plant observations were made on plants grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia. Unless indicated otherwise, the descriptions disclosed herein are based upon observations made from August to October 2007 of mature ‘C97-41’ plants (age 4 years) grown in outdoor field plantings with day temperatures ranging from 21° C. to 23° C., night temperatures ranging from 10° C. to 12° C., and light levels ranging from 6 to 8 klux. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, younger plants. ‘C97-41’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may vary with variations in the environment such as season, temperature, light quality, light intensity, day length, cultural conditions and the like. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart, of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2007 edition.

-   Botanical classification: Vaccinium hybrid cultivar C97-41. -   Parentage:     -   -   Parents.—seed parent “F95-52” (unpatented) and pollen parent             “E12” (unpatented). -   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit.—plants are bushy. Growth vigor is strong.             Plant height is 1.9 m. Plant width is 1.2 m. Flower bud             density is medium. Twigginess is low. Time of beginning of             leaf bud burst is early to medium (mid to late August) when             grown as an evergreen in Australia. Time of beginning of             flowering is early (mid August) when grown as an evergreen             in Australia. Time of fruit ripening is early to medium (mid             September) when grown as an evergreen in Australia. -   Stem:     -   -   Suckering tendency.—Plants typically have 5-7 major canes             per plant from a base 30 cm in diameter on 6 year old             plants.         -   Canes.—erect to semi-erect with moderate branching; color             greyed orange 198C; 2 year old cane diameter 12 mm, colored             greyed orange 177B, some flaking of bark, current season             wood diameter 3-4 mm, colored yellow green 144C Internode             length on strong, new shoots 15-20 mm.         -   Fruiting wood.—numerous twigs to 10 cm in length.         -   Surface texture of new wood.—smooth. -   Fully developed leaf: Length medium 66-70 mm Width broad     approximately 32-36 mm Shape elliptic Color yellow green 137A     Intensity of color medium Margin entire Undulation of margin absent     or very weak Pubescence of upper side absent Pubescence of lower     side absent Cross sectional profile flat Longitudinal profile     straight Attitude horizontal. -   Inflorescence: Length of peduncle to 12 mm Length of pedicel long     8-10 mm Number of flowers per cluster median 7 Flower cluster     density is sparse to medium. -   Flowers: Length of corolla tube short to medium (to 10 mm) Width of     corolla tube narrow to medium (to 9 mm) Corolla aperture diameter 4     mm Color of corolla white 155D Anthocyanin coloration of very weak     to weak Corolla ridges present Protrusion of stigma absent Fragrance     weak Shape urceolate Abundance of pollen high Calyx (with sepals)     diameter 5-6 mm Calyx color green 138A.     -   -   Productivity.—3 to 4 kg per season from 3-4 year old plants             planted at 3.0 m×0.9 m density.         -   Cold hardiness.—C97-41 has not been grown in all             environments including harsh winter environments. Cold             tolerance is expected to be low. Plants have survived winter             freeze in Australia to minus 8° C. with minimal winter             dieback of young shoots and resultant loss of fruit and             flowers, and poor growth vigor.         -   Chilling requirement.—C97-41 has not been grown in all             environments and is typically grown as an evergreen crop             where chilling hours are not important. C97-41 is classed as             ‘low chill’, typical of Southern Highbush Blueberry             varieties with an estimated chilling requirement of 250             hours (not tested).         -   Leafing.—plants retain leaves year round (at Corindi beach,             NSW Australia) and C97-41 is grown commercially as an             evergreen crop. New leafing occurs in late August at Corindi             beach, NSW Australia. -   Fruit: Unripe fruit color intensity medium Unripe fruit color 144A     Cluster density is sparse Diameter is large (mean 18.6 mm) Weight     medium-heavy (approximately 2.8 g) Shape oblate Attitude of calyx     erect Diameter of calyx basin medium (mean 6.2 mm) Depth of calyx     basin is medium (to 2.0 mm) Intensity of bloom strong Intensity of     blue color of skin with bloom removed is dark Color of skin 202A     Sweetness when ripe medium Firmness when ripe medium to firm Acidity     when ripe weak to medium Size of scar is very small (to 1.0 mm)     Storage quality good.     -   -   Date of 50% maturity.—approximately 20^(th) September at             Corindi beach, NSW Australia.         -   Fruit development period.—approximately 55 days in protected             cultivation at Corindi beach, NSW Australia. -   Seed: Seed color greyed orange 165B Seed abundance in fruit medium     Seed size 1.6-1.8 mm long for fully developed seeds. -   Tolerance to disease: C97-41 has shown low resistance to root     disease (phytophthora spp) and low resistance to blueberry rust     compared to the commercial variety ‘Sweetcrisp’. Also demonstrates     moderate to low resistance to the fruit disease Anthracnose     (Colletotrichum gleosporoides). 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of blueberry plant named ‘C97-41’, substantially as herein shown and described. 